How to Avoid Spam Bots on Twitter

Many Twitter users send their Tweets using Internet-enabled mobile devices.

Twitter is an online social media site that allows its users to update their account statuses--called Tweets--in 140 characters or less. Users can follow each other to keep up with other users' Tweets. They can also reply to each other's updates. Twitter is used by businesses and individuals alike. Most of these users are legitimate, but the site also has many spam accounts set to auto-follow and tweet spam messages to its users. With a little diligence, it is easy for users to avoid spam bots on Twitter.

Instructions

1. Mask or obscure the names of any brands or types of businesses in your tweets. Spammers set up bots to automatically follow and spam any mention of their target industry. For example, a spammer with a real estate marketing scheme might program a Twitter spam account to automatically follow anyone who mentions real estate, buying land or renting apartments. A spammer with an eBay affiliate link will automatically follow anyone who mentions eBay. For this reason, it's best to obscure or mask the mention of any brand name or type of business. Leave a space between letters ("re al est ate" instead of "real estate") or use an asterisk to mask the name of the product or business ("N*tflix" instead of "Netflix"). This will throw auto-follow spam bots off the scent of your Tweets.

2. Block all accounts following you that look like spam accounts. A good gauge is any account that follows more than 10 times the number of people following the account, especially if the account has no meaningful tweets or only posts affiliate links. Spam bots often auto-follow each other's entire follow lists, so that the more spam accounts you have following your Twitter account, the more likely it is that more spam accounts will follow you. Go to the spam account's profile page and click the "block" link on the right-hand column to block the account. If you wish, click "Report for Spam" instead. This will also automatically block the user, and let Twitter know it is a spam account.

3. Set your profile to private. Twitter will block any account from seeing your tweets except for the users to whom you have given permission. While this does limit how easily new followers can find you, it also blocks any and all spam bots from seeing your tweets and spamming you. While logged in, click the "Settings" link on the upper right menu. Scroll to the "Tweet privacy" section and check the box next to "Protect my Tweets." Click the "Save" button to save your profile. From then on, all Twitter accounts will have to ask you permission before following your account, sending you messages and viewing your tweets.

References

• Twitter: How to Block Users
• Twitter: About Public and Protected Accounts
• Twitter: How to Report Spam on Twitter